Our Supported Employment Programme is the first structured programmme of its kind in Sri Lanka. It connects employers to potential employees alongside training and long-term support for both parties to ensure success.
Supported employment prepares people with significant intellectual disabilities (ID) for employment in inclusive workplaces. Persons with ID include those with Autism, Cerebral palsy, Down’s syndrome, learning disabilities, and other conditions that impact cognitive skills. The term ID is defined by significant cognitive deficits identified through standardized tests, particularly an IQ below 70. These disabilities manifest as reduced competence in social, conceptual, and adaptive skills.
Our services are designed for people with ID who desire independence and the ability to contribute financially to their family. Given appropriate training and exposure, people with ID can live independently and contribute to many workplaces. However, independence skills and job training for persons with ID require specific supports and adaptations. Beyond providing dignity and a sense of purpose for the individual, demonstrating the ability of people with ID to contribute to society and earn a living encourages more investment in their education and training.
For supported employment to be successful, the host workplace must work closely with the organization training people with ID for employment. SJdSF provides the role of job coach as well as conduct training for the host organization and works with them to identify and adapt tasks suited to those with ID. After successful matching of job seekers to adapted work opportunities, SJdSF will continue to monitor the workplace and provide assistance to employer and employee as needed.
Through introductory seminars and site visits we help employers identify their readiness for inclusive hiring.
We conduct observations of the roles available and assist with task adaptations and task analysis to design roles which can be successfully performed by people with ID.
We match trainees according to their interests and skillset to roles within partner organizations, train them on tasks at our on-site workshop/foundation and then introduce them to colleagues and the job site in an incremental way until fully assimilated and working full time. We also assist the host team provide on the job training.
We conduct for the HR departments and the host team within the employer and identifies advocates for the teammate with ID to form a buddy system.
SJDSF has developed an app with the help of WSO2, with the goal of assessing the wellbeing of trainees daily and assisting their managers as needed.
Weekly during the first two months to immediately troubleshoot any issues arising.
Following the initial onboarding period, we keep in regular contact with the employee and their families/caregivers and the host organization to address difficulties in a timely manner to ensure retention and wellbeing. We currently conduct monthly drop-ins at the job site.
